1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a gaming machine, a server, and a program.
2. Related Art
Since priorly, gaming machines, with which a plurality of players face each other and play a game, have been installed in game halls. Generally, such a gaming machine is for playing a game in which a plurality of players carry out tactical interactions with each other, for example, a poker game, mahjong, or other card game. Among such games, with a poker game, arrangements are made to simulate closely the sensation of actually gambling in a casino and this type of game is popular in game halls.
As can be understood from the term, “poker face,” poker is game in which the “face” of a player has a large influence on the game result. With any player, subtle changes in expression occur when a change in the state of the game occurs, such as when cards are dealt, betting is performed, etc. It is not an overstatement to say that the chances of winning in poker change by whether or not such changes in expression can be controlled. That is, a poker game can be said to be a game with which differences in an individual's skill readily become apparent and tactical interactions decide the game.
Poker games can be largely classified into two types. One type is the player-versus-dealer type, with which a game is played against a dealer who deals cards, and the other type is the player-versus-player type, with which the difficulty of forming winning combinations is competed among players.
A player-versus-player type poker game has one significant characteristic. That is, the strategy to be employed to win cannot be decided unless the strategy of an opponent is known to some degree.
However, with a gaming machine installed in a game hall, since an unspecific number of players can participate interchangingly, it is impossible to set up such a strategy. That is, the reactions of other players must be observed on each occasion while playing the game and counteracted flexibly.
Specifically, in a player-versus-player type poker game, strategies must be set up coolly and flexibly under circumstances where there are, on one hand, players who play aggressively with a calm expression even if he/she has only a weak winning combination, such as a one pair, and on the other hand, players who look insecure even though having a straight flush on hand, and tactical interactions are carried out while considering the habits of an unspecific number of such other players.
Also, with a poker game, such as “7-Card-Stud,” which is mainstream in casinos in Las Vegas, etc., the timing of betting takes on an extremely high significance. Such a game is completely of a level of a “psychological battle” and the win or loss of each player depends on his/her observation abilities.
However, in playing a player-versus-player type poker game with a gaming machine installed in a game hall, there is one problem. This is the problem of insufficient number of players. That is, in a case where a player-versus-player type poker game is to be played in a game hall, the game cannot be started unless a certain number of players participate.
In order to resolve such a problem, a method of playing a game by displaying a virtual dealer on a screen as in prior-art poker gaming machines (for example, the method described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 11-300034) may be applied to make virtual players appear in a game.
However, whereas only one dealer is necessary for playing a poker game, with a player-versus-player type poker game, a plurality of virtual players must be prepared in order to make up for the insufficient number of players. Moreover, as mentioned above, since a player-versus-player type poker game is especially strong in the aspect of “psychological battle,” the changes of expression can change the result of a game. Thus if the plurality of virtual players that are prepared are arranged to be controlled in a uniform manner, a real player can learn the pattern of control (to be specific, the changes in expression, etc.), become able to win readily by coming up with corresponding strategies, and thus become bored readily.
Such a problem is not only a problem for poker games but also for other gaming machines with which a plurality of players play against each other.